


Cross

by anjocientifico



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Angst, F/F, F/M, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character(s), Religion, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-08-23 04:54:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20237068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anjocientifico/pseuds/anjocientifico
Summary: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28





	1. Chapter 1

The room was so quiet that Michael Cross could hear every nuance of his breath as he sat in the living room chair, the curtains drawn, leaving the room as melancholy as his own soul.

His right hand was shaking as he tried to hold the gun with the barrel against his chin.

His cold sweat ran down his forehead as he gasped. He had never avoided pulling the trigger so much, but he knew that the shot would pierce his flesh, burning any possibility of the future.

He heard his breath again and remembered it was the same sound he heard from his sister. He cried desperately because the shot that would cross his head would change nothing. And that would never be fair.

He fell off his chair and fell on the floor, remembering the nightmare of his life.

As children, Michael and Lucy were beaten by their father, who also beat his mother. The feeling that his father would come home drunk always sent a chill down his spine, he knew his sister felt the same way. The beatings were always repetitive, with belts, slaps and punches, but what hurt the most was not being able to defend his sister and mother.

At 12, Michael's mother couldn't stand the violence anymore, she had no hope, no future. Her life was ruined and her family's precarious situation didn't help until one day she took her own life with an overdose.

Michael and Lucy were shaken, but mostly afraid. They didn't understand what would lead their mother to take such extreme measures, they knew they would be alone from that moment on, with such a violent monster at home blaming them for the death of his wife or for such mediocre reasons, Michael couldn't understand . "I deserve this?"

Now grown up, lying on the floor of that dark room, he wonders.

"Did I deserve this?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes, I deserve it." Michael said those words and looked at the gun lying on the floor with a blank stare.

He remembered his adolescence when his father beat him with more violence, while his neighbors pretended to see nothing.

Michael noticed that Lucy, despite being younger than him, had much more hope that things would get better.

Until on a sunny Sunday, his father had a stroke that completely paralyzed his body.

Michael and Lucy then moved in with their maternal aunt. She was very religious and made them go to church, Lucy enjoyed the experience. Michael, on the other hand, saw no point in that. He only went because he heard his aunt saying that the suicides were going to hell and he couldn't help but ask for the salvation of his mother's soul.

After a while, Michael rebelled. He spent sleepless nights on the street, got involved with drug dealers, committed minor crimes, walked with bad company, used drugs, got into fights, and was almost always drunk.

Lucy, on the other hand, had moved on. She was already finishing high school and worked in a book store to cover her aunt's house expenses and pay a nurse to look after her father. She also gave his brother money whenever he needed it.

She always asked her brother to try to forgive her father, to go back to church, and to encourage him to leave this tumultuous life he led. Her aunt, on the other hand, didn't care so much about Michael, that always rejected Lucy's advice.

One day Michael picked up his sister from school, she was off work and wanted to spend some more time with her dear brother.

They walked down the street talking until Michael showed the revolver he had won on a bet earlier, Lucy looked into his black eye and then realized what kind of bet it was.

In 7 minutes they reached a junkyard where Michael wanted to test his new weapon. He asked Lucy to collect 3 bottles and she made it anxious about the life Michael led.

She went back to her brother and positioned the empty bottles on a board while looking deep into Michael's eyes.

\- You need to change. – she said with a few drops of tears coming from her eyes.

\- Did you come to help me or to lecture me? – said Michael impatiently with the same old talk.

\- We need to improve life my brother, you and me together... – Lucy approached him saying those words.

\- We will never get better! I will never get better! Our mother killed herself because of this fucking life! – said Michael angrily.

\- But we still have our father and our aunt, they need us. – said Lucy, shedding a few tears from her eyes.

Michael heard those words and exploded with anger.

\- Our father? That monster? That monster that beat us for no reason, that monster that killed our mother and that witch you call your aunt, never cared about us and still said our mother went to hell! - Michael said with tears in his eyes.

\- But I care and I want you to get better brother. - Lucy approached holding the gun in Michael's hand.

\- No! You're just disturbing me, I'm fine. - Michael said

\- You’re not! – Shouted Lucy, pulling the gun from his hand.

Michael and Lucy started fighting over the gun that fired accidentally, hitting Lucy in the stomach that fell on the floor of the junkyard.

_“Why?”_

Those were the last words Michael heard from his sister.

Michael despaired and screamed for her name.

**\- LUCY!**

He tried to wake her up, but it was late, her body was already lifeless. Unable to, he fled the crime scene with fear and suffering. He didn’t know what to do.

Back in his room, he held the gun that killed his sister years ago.

He got up and looked at the bible at the head of his bed.

_\- Why?_


	3. Chapter 3

Kate was in the shower, lost in thoughts as she touched her entire body, remembered the terrible video she participed years ago. She felt exposed and afraid of entering into a relationship.

The interest in a relationship had already crossed her mind in the past, when she fell in love with her best friend Warren. She was afraid to try something after that damn video, and the fact that she knew Warren liked Max always left her behind.

She turned off the shower and looked at her fingers that had 3 rings, each ring representing a member of the family. She removed one of the rings in the past.

\- I miss you dad...

She dried herself with the towel and put her yellow pajamas, went to the kitchen to make coffee, and looked out the window. It was autumn and it was raining.

She went into the living room with her coffee in hand and set it down on the center table, picked up her notebook and wrote some ideas for her children's book.

Max was of great help in the past, took several pictures for the book, Warren also helped with some drawings. She knew that times had changed and that they followed her life. Warren and Max were already married and Max was waiting two girls. Kate was happy for both of them, but wanted some company, someone by her side. She set her notes aside, took the bible, and read the verse she would read the next day in the Church.

** _ ** _***_ ** _ **

_ _"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Thessalonians 5:23_ _

Kate was in the crowd, she was happy that Sunday morning, she wanted her friends to be there with her.

At the end, when everyone was saying goodbye. Kate greeted a young man in the church, looked into his eyes for a few more seconds as he watched her smile. She felt a strong connection with him and they parted.

Kate left the church still thinking of the handsome boy who had greeted moments before. She went to the nearest supermarket and bought some things, went home, and spent all day writing some more notes for her book.

The rest of the week was monotonous, hardly seeing Max and Warren personally, just exchanging short messages on cell phones. She worked as a kindergarten teacher and loved the childrens, even the messy ones. She had a dream of being a mother someday, building a family and having a beautiful marriage like Max and Warren.

Arriving at the Bible study the following Saturday, she was surprised by the same boy she had met last week. There, they could get closer and get to know each other better, talked about their life. They exchanged contacts, enjoyed each other's company, arranged to go to church together, until the relationship grew closer and closer, and they started dating.

The first time in a long time, Kate was happy and unafraid. Her sisters were the first to hear the news, they were also in a relationship, Lynn was dating a guy named Steve and Tara was in an engagement with a woman named Ivy. Steve and Ivy were brother and sister too.

At next, Kate told about her relationship with Max and Warren.

\- Seriously? - Warren said happy with his friend.

\- Yes! - Kate said looking at him.

\- So, who is he? – Asked Max

\- His name is Michael. Michael Cross.


End file.
